Celtics push past Knicks with game-ending surge

Down by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter, the Celtics went on a game-ending 22-7 run in the final 10 minutes to claim a 90-86 victory over the visiting Knicks on Friday night. Avery Bradley contributed seven points in the fourth quarter, including the 3-pointer that put the Celtics ahead for good with 2:38 left to play. Bradley’s 24-footer turned an 84-83 deficit into an 86-84 lead for Boston that set up the team to maintain its first-place standing in the Atlantic Division.

Jared Sullinger scored 19 points to lead the Celtics in scoring, but most of his damage came early, when the Celtics opened up a lead of up to 17 points in the first half. But in a game of drastic swings, New York ended up outscoring the Celtics by 28 points between the second and fourth quarters, until Boston went on its game-ending run.